Economic Development and Developers in the News # 78

Good morning and welcome to the 78th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.  Today's issue contains news from 247 economic development executives and organizations in 27 states and Canada.

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Alabama

Area Development magazine says Alabama ranks No. 6 overall in its 2022 “Top States for Doing Business” analysis, the same as the previous two years. The showing continues a sustained run in the survey’s overall Top 10 that reflects the state’s commitment to facilitating economic growth and job creation. (Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield)

Arizona

Christian Green, Goodyear’s former economic development project manager, has been hired for a similar role in Glendale.

Arizona Association For Economic Development has hired Braxton Hynes as the new Member Engagement and Development Manager and has promoted Juliana Jervis to Operations and Events Manager. (Carrie Kelly, Executive Director, AAED)

Arkansas

Dean Lee was named the City of Berryville's economic development chief. Lee replaces Chris Claybaker, the city’s first economic development director, who recently retired after more than seven years with the city.

Hostess Brands, Inc. unveiled the signage at its upcoming bakery and celebrated the innovation, economic investment and job creation it will bring to Central Arkansas. (Kevin Jester, Chairman, Economic Development Corporation of Clark County)

California

Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation will host the annual Partners Appreciation Mixer on September 9. Attendees will include core VSEDC partners, including corporate, foundation, and bank partners, as well as other community leaders who have supported VSEDC's programs, services, and CDFI. (CEO of VSEDC, Joseph T. Rouzan, III)

Gillian Wilson has been appointed UC Merced's new Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development.

Business leaders and economic development professionals will be gathering for the 2nd Annual Redwood Coast Region Economic Development Virtual Summit. This two-day virtual economic summit is designed to foster innovative thinking throughout the region of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties, as well as adjacent tribal lands. (Tara Lynn Gray, Director of California Office of Small Business Advocacy; Robert Eyler, Professor of Economics, Sonoma State University; Caroline Beteta, President & CEO, Visit California)

This month, the city of Santa Clarita is highlighting the friendly staff behind all things Economic Development. (Tom Cole, Director of Economic Development, Santa Clarita)

Canada

The City of Steinbach is looking for a new Director of Economic Development. (Christine Beaumont, President, Steinbach Chamber of Commerce)

Connecticut

While the Offshore Wind Industry Cluster in Connecticut was not among 21 economic development projects the federal government picked to each receive between $25 million and $65 million, its partners vow to continue their work to shore up the burgeoning local offshore wind industry, though perhaps in a scaled-back form. (Paul Whitescarver, Executive Director, Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region; Ron Angelo, President and CEO, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc.)

Florida

Port Tampa Bay President & CEO, Paul Anderson was named chair of a statewide transportation and economic development council.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced that nearly $30 million will be dedicated to support workforce development in the Space Coast region as part of a groundbreaking, multi-agency initiative to support competitive industries in the area. (Dane Eagle, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary; Laura DiBella, Florida Deputy Secretary of Commerce; Frank DiBello, President & CEO, Space Florida; Michelle Dennard, President & CEO, CareerSource Florida; Marci Murphy, President, CareerSource Brevard; Robin King, President & CEO, CareerSource Flagler Volusia; Brian Bauer, President & CEO, CareerSource Research Coast)

Georgia

Savannah Economic Development Authority shared updates on Bryan County's mega site. (Hugh "Trip" Tollison, President & CEO, SEDA)

The Mableton Improvement Coalition will host its first Economic Development Summit: Stronger Together—Bridging the Gap to Growth. (Ray Thomas, President, MIC)

Kristi Brigman is the new Deputy Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Idaho

The Clearwater Economic Development Association and Northwest River Supplies have announced that they have completed a real estate transaction for CEDA’s building  in Moscow. (Dodd Snodgrass, Executive Director, Clearwater Economic Development Association)

Illinois

Moran Economic Development has added Emily Calderon as senior planner. (Keith Moran, President, Moran Economic Development)

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity today announced the 42 grant recipients that will receive nearly $3.5 million in funding to accelerate local economic recovery initiatives: Berwyn Development Corporation (David Hulseberg, Executive Director); Blackhawk Hills Resource Conservation & Development (Daniel Payette, Executive Director); City of Cahokia Heights; City of Cairo (Rodney Moore, Commissioner of Economic Development & Demolition); City of Carbondale (Steven Mitchell, Economic Development Director); City of Casey (Bailey Maulding, Economic Development Director); City of Danville (Logan Cronk, Community Development Administrator); City of Effingham (Todd Hull, Economic Development Director); City of Freeport (Wayne Duckmann, Director of Community & Economic Development); City of Genoa (Alyssa Seguss, Economic Planning and Development); City of Jacksonville (Kristin Van Aken Jamison, President, JREDC); City of Monmouth; City of Ottawa (Dave Noble, Economic Development Director); City of Pana (Kirby Casner, Economic Development Director); City of Robinson; City of Savanna; City of Sesser; City of Springfield; City of Woodstock (Garrett Anderson, Economic Development Director); Coles Together (Angela Griffin), President); DevCorp North dba Rogers Park Business Alliance (Sandi Price, Exective Director); Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin (Jennifer Fukala, Executive Director); Greater Peoria Economic Development Council (Chris Setti, CEO); Great River Economic Development Foundation (Kyle Moore, President); Greater Champaign-Urbana Economic Partnership (Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director); Henry County (Jim Kelly, Economic Development); Kane County (Mark D. VanKerkhoff, Director County Development and Community Services); McLean County Regional Planning Commission (Raymond Lai, Executive Director);  Mercer County Better Together (Kyle McEwen, Executive Director); Mercer County Board of Supervisors; Monroe County EDC (Edie Koch, Executive Director); North Central Illinois Council of Governments (Kevin Lindeman, Executive Director); Ogle County; Region 1 Joint Planning Commission; Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (John Groh, President & CEO); Southern Five Regional Planning District (Tiffany George, Executive Director); Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development (Laurrie Minor, Executive Director); Village of Bannockburn; Village of Chatham; Village of Flanagan; Village of Grantfork; and Village of Hardin.

The Sauk Valley area will receive economic planning grants to help with broadband, housing and capital development projects. (Sylvia I. Garcia, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity)

Kansas

For the next year, Theresa McLoyd will be working with Stafford County Economic Development as an AmeriCorps VISTA. (Kathleen Norman, Executive Director, Stafford County Economic Development)

Kentucky

The Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority held a meeting with city officials to discuss resolutions and agreements on the businesses located at stadium park plaza, and what plans will be moving forward. (Ron Bunch, President & CEO, Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce)

Louisiana

Ascension Parish has promised to spend more money on infrastructure in an area where many are used to sitting in traffic. But they won’t have to raise taxes to do it. The Highway 30 corridor is also the spot for billions of dollars in industrial investments. Council members approved a new economic development district. (Kate MacArthur, President & CEO, Ascension Economic Development Corporation)

Maine

Tanya Emery, Bangor’s top economic development official, will step down next month after more than a decade with the city. She’ll join the Maine Connectivity Authority as economic development director and is charged with improving the state's internet connectivity.

Maryland

The Cumberland Economic Development Corporation and the Cumberland Downtown Development Commission are continuing to look for ways to promote and educate prospective business owners about the wide variety of grants and tax incentive programs currently available. (Matt Miller, Executive Director/President, Cumberland Economic Development Corporation)

Massachusetts

Andrew Melendez, executive director at Latino Economic Development Corporation, spoke at the organization's grand opening.

Michigan

Tribal Business News, a national publication headquartered in Grand Rapids that covers the $130 billion tribal economy, is hosting the first-ever Great Lakes Tribal Economic Summit in October. (Steve Bakkal, Chief Strategist, Michigan Economic Development Corp.; Jackson Brossy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs at the SBA)

A tribally owned economic development firm will further its investment in Muskegon through a new acquisition. (Marla Schneider, President & CEO, Greater Muskegon Economic Development)

Minnesota

The city of Burnsville has programs to help residents fix up their homes and help businesses expand or locate here. But the home programs are poorly funded, and the business programs aren’t funded at all. (Regina Dean, Assistant Community Development Director, City of Burnsville)

Seven years into a 20-year plan, an ambitious effort to transform downtown Rochester has attracted $1.4 billion in new development. Officials with the Destination Medical Center initiative say they're confident of hitting or surpassing the $5.6 billion goal by the planned end date in 2035.

"I will say here and now that I will be shocked if we don't blow past $5.6 billion," said Patrick Seeb, executive director of the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency.

Missouri

Business leaders from around the Tri-States gathered at Culver-Stockton College in Canton today, after a three-year hiatus, to discuss economic growth. After searching for an executive director for the Tri-State Economic Summit, Leslie Sieck was appointed in March of this year along with a new permanent home.

New York

The Putnam County Economic Development Corporation will be hosting a breakfast symposium focusing on the “Economic Trends Impacting Local Business” Thursday, Sept. 29. (Kathleen Abels, president of PCEDC)

North Carolina

The Greenville Eastern North Carolina Alliance is welcoming a new president this month. The organization announced that Josh Lewis will fill the role of president starting Sept. 26. Lewis brings more than 13 years of economic and workforce development experience through his work with organizations in North Carolina and Virginia.

Scotland County Economic Development Corporation held a groundbreaking on Tuesday for a 50,000-square foot Industrial Incubator. (Mark Ward, President for SCEDC)

Newton’s new city manager is focused on growth. Every project, strategy and plan comes down to economic development. Jonathan Franklin stepped in as city manager in May, after Todd Clark left in December 2021. Franklin came into the job with three goals: expand wastewater treatment, finish the city’s downtown streetscape project and focus on economic development efforts. But he says even the first two goals are aimed at economic development.

GroundBreak Carolinas recently announced the results of their 2022 GroundBreaker Awards, an annual awards program that recognizes individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to make a difference for the construction community in the Carolinas. Selected from a well-rounded group of nominees from North Carolina and South Carolina, the 2022 Class of GroundBreakers includes four individuals and one organization – the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.  GroundBreak Carolinas honored the EDPNC for its significant achievements in attracting economic development investment in N.C. The EDPNC is led by Christopher Chung, Chief Executive Officer.

Ohio

Union County Economic Development Director Eric Phillips is retiring this month but won’t be away from tending to county business for very long. County Commissioners held a public hearing at the regular meeting this week to discuss the process of Phillips retiring and then getting rehired back into his position as director.

Tennessee

Mayor John Cooper has named LaTanya Channel to develop a strategic plan for the city’s economic development. Channel will begin as Director of Economic Growth and Small Business Development on Oct. 3. Channel has served in the federal Small Business Administration’s Nashville office for the last eight years as state director.

Texas

In this week's edition of El Paso Prime Time, welcomes the Director of Economic Development of El Paso, Elizabeth Triggs and Managing Director Of International Bridges, David Coronado, to wrap up the Economic Development series and talk about access to capital for small business, improved technology for international bridges and quality of life.

The President of Victoria Economic Development Corporation Jonas Titus shared his view not he national economic situation.

Washington County Commissioners at their meeting last week voted 4-1 to approve an economic development agreement between the county and Brenham CFA Series, LLC to build a full-service restaurant. Brenham Washington County Economic Development Director Susan Cates said the project will benefit both the city and the county by generating “significant sales tax revenue.”

The City of Austin Economic Development Department announced funding to local workforce development providers Capital IDEA and Skillpoint Alliance for career training in the City’s target industries: Healthcare, Information Technology, Skilled Trades, and Advanced Manufacturing. (Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Director for the Economic Development Department)

United States

Earlier this month President Biden announced the 21 winners of the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the most impactful regional economic development competition in decades. Winners include: Central Valley Community Foundation (Ashley Swearengin, President and CEO); City of Manchester (Jodie Nazaka, Director of Economic Development); Coalfield Development (Brandon Dennison, CEO); Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation (Maureen Donohue Krauss, President & CEO); Empire State Development (Hope Knight, President & CEO); Four Bands Community Fund (Lakota Vogel, Executive Director); Georgia Tech Research Corporations (Rebecca Caravati, Interim General Manager); Greater New Orleans Development Foundation (Michael Hecht, President & CEO); Greater St. Louis, Inc. (Jason Hall, CEO); Indian Nations Council of Governments (Damon Nelson, CEO); Invest Nebraska Corporation (Dan Hoffman, CEO); North Carolina Biotechnology Center (Doug Edgeton, President & CEO); Oklahoma City Economic Development Foundation (Jeff Seymour, Executive Vice President); Osceola County Board of County Commissioners (David Rodriguez, Economic Development Manger); Port of Portland (Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director)      ; Southeast Conference (Robert Venables, Executive Director); Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative (Stefani Pashman, CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development); The State University of New York at Binghamton; The University of Texas at El Paso; Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority (Chandra Briggman, Executive Director & President/CEO); and Wichita State University.

Vermont

Governor Phil Scott, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and the Vermont Economic Development Authority announced the launch of the Short-Term Forgivable Loan Program designed to support Vermont businesses experiencing continued working capital shortfalls as a result of the pandemic. (VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer Cassie Polhemus)

Virginia

​The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development announced the end of another successful visit of foreign executives and dignitaries who are considering the city as a location of choice for foreign direct investment. The group included nine individuals from eight different companies and organizations, along with representatives from the Spanish embassy in Washington, D.C. (Taylor Adams, deputy city manager and director of Economic Development for the City of Virginia Beach)

The Greater Richmond Partnership, the lead regional economic development organization serving the City of Richmond and counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico in Virginia, announced it has finished its best year in the organization’s last two decades. (Jennifer Wakefield, President + CEO)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that California-based Plenty Unlimited Inc. will build the world’s largest indoor vertical farming campus, a $300 million investment in Chesterfield County’s Meadowville Technology Park. (Felicia Howard, Vice President Economic Development Strategy, Dominion Energy; Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority; Jennifer Wakefield, President + CEO, Greater Richmond Partnership)

Washington

The Port of Chehalis has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board for its Dawson Road development project study.

West Virginia

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin, both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $50,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development Grant Program for the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation. The funding will support job creation in the local forestry, transportation and sawmill industries and will accelerate economic development throughout southern West Virginia.

Jim Spencer, Bluefield’s economic and community development director as well as director of the Bluefield Economic Development Authority, is the recipient of the 2022 WV Brownfield Award in Economic Development. The award recognizes a project or community partner that has demonstrated excellence in economic development on one or more brownfield sites.

Among a record number of ribbon cuttings held by the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, county officials are optimistic about the current state of economic development, believing the county is in a prime position going forward. Marion County Chamber of Commerce President Tina Shaw said the Chamber held 55 ribbon cuttings for various business openings, expansions and more between August 2021 and this August. Shaw said that’s a record that has her beaming.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to send errors, corrections, and news updates to [email protected].